Which kind of ?

Ruby has done well in her studies and her parents want to Learn about reward her. They have decided to buy her a , as they • the difference between desktop think it will be a good incentive to continue working hard. and portable • how you can make decisions about whether a computer will Starter e-component meet your needs Carry out a quick survey in class. Do most people prefer or • the different devices that you desktop computers, and why? Then complete Worksheet 1.4. can connect to your computer Desktop computers are designed for regular use in one location, such as a desk. Ruby has decided she would like a portable computer as it is more fl exible. Did you know? Types of portable computers Ruby and her parents are looking at the different types of computer: The size of a terabyte Laptop – a portable computer designed to t on the lap (although 1 kilobyte (KB) = ½ page of text • most people use them on a table or desk). It carries out the same 1 megabyte (MB) = 500 pages functions as a but in a compact version that is light or 1 thick book enough to be carried around. 1 gigabyte (GB) = 500,000 • Notebook – similar to a laptop but even more compact. The name pages or 1,000 thick books comes from its small size, comparing it with the size of a notebook. 1 terabyte (TB) = 1,000,000 • – similar to a notebook but designed mainly for wireless thick books communication via email, messaging and access to the Internet. Some portable devices have A netbook is usually cheaper and has a lower specifi cation compared specially designed processors to laptops and notebooks. They increasingly have solid state memory. called mobile processors. They • Personal digital assistant (PDA) – a portable device that is small use less power and switch off enough to hold in the palm of a hand. It usually contains an address when not being used, therefore book, note-making features, telephone and Internet facilities. It producing less heat and saving allows data to be exchanged with computers. energy (battery power). Task 1.11 Would a desktop or a portable computer be most suitable for the following people, and why? • teacher • doctor (in a GP surgery) • news reporter • traf c warden. • website designer

Desktop Laptop Notebook Netbook PDA Figure 1.5 Ruby can choose from a range of computers 15 Unit 1 Living in a Digital World Buying a computer When buying a computer, you need to consider all of the following features. Did you know? PROCESSOR (CPU) A cabled network is more This is the brains of the computer – it does all the calculating. The number reliable than a wireless of calculations it carries out (processes) is measured in gigahertz (GHz). The network because there is higher the processing speed, the faster the computer but the more power it little interference from other uses. This is an important consideration when buying a portable device. household devices. MEMORY Solid state drives are becoming This usually refers to RAM (Random Access Memory), which is the temporary more popular as they have no memory that the computer uses. RAM is used to run the programs that are moving parts and are less likely open on the computer. The higher the RAM, the more programs you can to fail than normal hard drives have open at any one time and the faster they will respond. If the power fails, which have moving parts. They the temporary memory is lost – that’s why you lose unsaved work when the also help conserve battery computer is switched off. You need to consider what you will be using your power. computer for, as graphics and videos require more RAM. HARD DRIVE SIZE The hard drive is the primary storage area of the computer. It is where the software, fi les and data are kept and where they are retrieved from. The size of the hard drive is measured in bytes – usually in gigabytes. The bigger the hard drive, the more data can be stored. WIRELESS ENABLED Desktop computer – a stationary This allows the device to pick up WiFi signals, enabling you to connect to a computer, usually consisting of a network, connect devices together and access the Internet without wires. tower and separate monitor. It is Data exchanged wirelessly is slower than data travelling though a cable. generally more powerful and has This is because data can be distorted as it travels through the air by other a larger storage capacity than a signals and interference travelling though the same air space. This can cause portable computer. unwanted glitches and freezes in programs. Portable computer – designed to allow the user to use the Sometimes signals may not be able to travel through walls, or certain computer on the move, e.g. locations may be out of range. This is an important consideration when using laptop, notebook, netbook and WiFi – the alternative is to use a cabled connection. PDA. USB CONNECTION Speci cation (spec) – the technical details of a device or USB (Universal Serial Bus) is the most common method of connecting devices system. to a computer. Because many peripherals use this type of connection, it is Primary storage – built-in storage good if the computer has many USB ports. designed to be directly accessed SOUND CARD/GRAPHICS CARD by the central processing unit (CPU). These are devices that fi x to the computer’s main circuit (the ), Network – devices connected allowing computers to play and record sound and display graphics. Different together to allow communication cards will enhance the sound and graphics, so if you use a lot of graphics, and exchange of data. videos, music or games, this is an important factor to consider. Peripherals – external devices OPTICAL DRIVE connected to a computer, e.g. printer, microphone. The optical drive uses lasers to read data encoded on CDs and DVDs. This allows you to install software, listen to music and fi lms with ease. Software – programs that give instructions to a computer and Some optical drives also allow CDs/DVDs to be written (burned) – this is which allow the user to carry out useful if you want to transfer information from your device. different tasks.

Chapter 1: Let’s communicate! 16 Be safe/be effi cient 1.12 To conserve (save) power: Task These people use their computers for different things: • Do not play multimedia like computer games, music or a) Person A stores lots of fi lms and music. DVDs. b) Person B enjoys playing computer games. • Reduce screen brightness. c) Person C likes connecting devices wirelessly. • Change the power options and d) Person D uses powerful programs. allow the computer to turn off certain parts when inactive, e) Person E produces videos and copies them to a CD. e.g. turn monitor off after 10 Which feature(s) would be most important to them? Choose from those minutes of inactivity. shown in Figure 1.6. • Copy les CD/DVDs on to the Can you think of any more features they might fi nd important? hard drive and run them from there. This typically consumes less power than an optical drive. • Turn off WiFi and Bluetooth when you are not using them. • Disconnect devices that are not being used. • Use earphones instead of listening though speakers. Optical drive Screen type

Hard drive size

CPU speed

Memory (RAM)

WiFi enabled

Graphics card

Sound card

Bluetooth enabled Battery size

Screen size

Screen resolution Figure 1.6 Features to consider when choosing a computer In practice When buying a computer, desktop, laptop, PDA, netbook or notebook always use a price comparison website to get yourself a good deal. It’s also worth paying attention to: • processor speed – the quicker it is, the faster your device will work • amount of RAM – the more RAM it has, the more applications it will be able to support • storage capacity – the more storage you have, the more les you can save • battery life (of portable device) – how long will the power last?

17 Unit 1 Living in a Digital World Peripherals Ruby has chosen a laptop with the following spec. It is a mid-range one, but she wants to add to it.

Processor Intel Centrino 2 GHz Memory 2 GB Hard drive 150 GB Wireless WiFi enabled Operating system Windows Vista Home Premium USB 2 ¥ USB ports

Ruby has bought the following peripherals to go with her laptop: printer, scanner, webcam, microphone, speakers, memory card reader, USB hub, wireless router. Peripherals can be divided into input, output and storage devices: • Input devices take new information and put it into the computer, ready for the computer to process, e.g. keyboard, mouse, scanner, microphone. • Output devices allow you to view or hear information after it has been processed, e.g. printer, speaker, monitor. • Storage devices/media allow you to store data so that it can be accessed by the computer, e.g. hard drive, CD-R, DVD-R,  ash memory cards.

Task 1.13 e-component Future proo ng – anticipating future developments when you Do etask 1.13 to check your knowledge of which peripherals are input, buy something in the hope that output and storage devices. it will not go out of date quickly. Future proo ng can be expensive, as buying something top of the 1.14 e-component Task range will cost more than if you Choose one person from Task 1.10. wait a short while. Which type of computer would you recommend for this person? What spec would you recommend for this person? Use Website 1.11 to recommend a computer and justify your decision.

Examiner’s tip! Technology is always advancing, so something that is top of the range today might be considered bottom of the range in a couple of years’ time. When The selection of a computer that buying a new computer you should try to future proof it as much as you can. meets the needs of a particular user or scenario should be Knowledge check based on three main criteria: 1 Name three portable devices. cost, weight and functionality, linked to the target context. For 2 Give three advantages of portable computers and three a given functionality, the smaller disadvantages. and lighter machines are more 3 Give three advantages of desktop computers and three expensive. They are also less disadvantages. suitable for use over extended 4 Peripherals can be split into three categories – name them and periods at a time. describe the difference. Chapter 1: Let’s communicate! 18